1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a monitoring camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional monitoring cameras comprise a camera housing, a camera body housed in the camera housing and a lens barrel protruding from the camera housing. When the lens barrel protrudes from the camera body, a zooming knob and a focusing knob can be operated even after the monitoring camera has been installed.
However, the lens barrel protruding from the camera housing is not only undesirable from the point of protection of the lens barrel but also devoid of sense of unity from the point of appearance design.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring camera in which the lens barrel can be protected and has a sense of unity with respect to the appearance design, and a zooming operation and focusing operation can easily be carried out.
To achieve the object, the invention provides a monitoring camera comprising a camera housing, a camera body housed in the camera housing, a lens barrel protruding from the camera housing, and a lens housing provided for protecting the lens barrel, wherein the lens housing is detachably mounted on the camera housing by bayonet engagement.
The lens housing is detachably attached to the camera housing by the bayonet mounting mechanism in the above-described monitoring camera. Consequently, the lens barrel can be protected by the lens housing and furthermore, the lens barrel has a sense of unity when the camera housing and the lens housing are unified or harmonized in the design.
In a preferred form, the monitoring camera further comprises a zooming knob and a focusing knob each protruding from an outer periphery of the lens barrel. Consequently, since the lens housing is detached from the camera housing, the zooming and focusing knobs provided on the lens housing can easily be operated.
The invention also provides a monitoring camera comprising a camera housing having an opening, a camera body housed in the camera housing, a lens barrel protruding from the camera housing, a lens housing formed integrally with the camera housing for protecting the lens barrel, the lens housing having a side peripheral wall and an opening formed in the peripheral watt thereof, a cylindrical cover turnably fitted in the opening of the camera housing so as to cover the lens barrel, the cover having a side peripheral wall and an opening formed in the peripheral wall, the cover being turned so that the openings of the lens housing and the cover are placed one upon the other.
In the above-described monitoring camera, the cover covering the lens housing formed integrally with the camera housing is turned so that the openings of the lens housing and the cover are placed one upon the other. Consequently, the lens barrel has a sense of unity when the camera housing and the lens housing are unified or harmonized in the design. Furthermore, since a configuration of the opening formed in the cover appears, the monitoring camera presents a unique design. Additionally, the lens housing can be protected by the camera housing and the cover.
In another preferred form, the monitoring camera further comprises a zooming knob and a focusing knob each protruding from an outer periphery of the lens barrel into the opening of the lens housing. In this case, too, the zooming and focusing knobs provided on the lens housing can easily be operated for each adjustment when the cover is turned so that the openings of the lens housing and the cover are placed one upon the other.